Explore Extraordinary Inspiration at ACOI 2025

A Q&A with Keynote Speaker and “Extraordinist” Craig Karges

One of the best ways to understand powerful leadership is to see it modeled. And what better way to experience that, than through seasoned professionals who live it in their own unique ways? That’s why I'm excited for everyone to hear from our inspiring keynote speakers at ACOI 2025, Simon T. Bailey and Craig Karges, both award-winning and nationally recognized speakers and authors. They’ll use their time to share with us their own stories of creative, collaborative leadership, and offer insights on how we can embody the same.

I had the privilege of a brief and engaging conversation with Craig Karges, where he talked about his history as a performer, his insights on intuition, and a quick preview of his presentation at ACOI 2025. Read on for more – though of course, to get the full story, you’ll just have to be there!

How did you get your start with this kind of performance? What about it was the biggest draw for you?

I was drawn to this field because of my interest in “mystery.” I love a good mystery! I also love the feeling that there are unlimited possibilities within each of us. My [late] great-uncle was a vaudeville performer, a crystal ball gazer, who sat onstage with a crystal ball and divined the thoughts and questions that his audiences had in their minds. He fueled my interest and was my mentor for a year before passing away. I inherited his books and effects and had this giant jigsaw puzzle to try and piece together. I spent another year on that, and then started performing at 16, paying my way through college via my performances and upon graduating, hitting the road full-time. It’s all I’ve ever done.

You’ve said that your presentations are fueled by “the power of intuition.” What do you mean by that?

There are three “ingredients” to the presentation: illusion (a magician’s trick), psychology, and intuition. The intuitive part is a result of years of performing – to date, I’ve done over 5500 presentations. Your intuition takes over. You notice patterns on an unconscious level and act upon them. Albert Einstein said, “I did not arrive at my understanding of the fundamental laws of the universe through my rational mind.” He explored concepts and ideas using his rational mind, but he also trusted moments of keen intuition and flashes of insight. Intuition can be described as knowing something without consciously knowing why you know it, and that is part of what I do onstage.

Your first book, Ignite Your Intuition, was about this topic as well. What inspired you to write that?

I was approached by Health Communications, Inc. (those Chicken Soup for the Soul people) to write a book teaching others to do what I do onstage. Well, getting back to the three ingredients in the presentation, I didn’t think that people would benefit much from learning magic tricks, but I did think they could benefit from learning about intuition and memory. The thrust of the book is to show readers that we are capable of so much more, to encourage them to look at things in different ways, and to get them in awe of their brains and their minds and how they work together to create the extraordinary.

Your presentation will tie in with the ACOI 2025 theme “The Power of Physician Leadership: Innovate, Influence, Inspire.” How does being open to possibility – and tapping into the subconscious mind – inspire creative leadership and better decision making?

Open-minded leaders continue to evolve and do so in a proactive, positive fashion, prioritizing things like continuous learning for themselves and their teams. With change all around, I think that’s a valuable mindset to have. The intuitive aspect of what I do focuses on the unconscious mind and the information it contains. Think of the analogy of the mind being like an iceberg, with the tip of the iceberg representing the conscious mind, and the bulk of what lies beneath the surface representing the unconscious mind. I encourage people to use both their intuitive and rational minds in their decision-making process.

What do you want the ACOI audience to know about your keynote at the Annual Convention?

My presentation is different! The presentation itself will combine entertainment, message, and motivation. I like to call it “business theatre and motivational entertainment.” It’s not just entertainment – it’s about creating an extraordinary experience that will reflect the values and vision of ACOI and the goals of the event. Ideally, the presentation is not just part of the event, but adds to its messaging and purpose. Amazing and impossible-looking things will happen onstage. I make the point that nothing is impossible – anything is possible! We are truly extraordinary, and we have the ability to create the future through our decisions, actions, and beliefs. Success is limited only by imagination.

The real value will come in when I tie in my core message and the entertainment with ACOI’s leadership theme, common challenges ACOI members face, and goals they have. I will hopefully engage the audience and make a connection through the entertainment, then provide a specific, tailored message. The audience will get the core message of the meeting again – but in a fun, exciting and mind-expanding environment, not from a talking head or PowerPoint slide. In fact, there’s no PowerPoint at all in the presentation. Instead, it’s a lot of audience participation. It’s an experience and a performance – not a lecture. At one point in the presentation, I’ll guide everyone through an exercise that will amaze them as they discover what they can accomplish by opening their minds and looking at things in a different way.

What do you find most satisfying, motivating, and inspiring about giving these presentations?  

I love what I do! I’ve been very fortunate to basically live out my boyhood dream. I love watching the expressions on the faces of the audience members. I love giving my audience a unique experience – to make them feel they are a part of something they have never experienced before and, hopefully, will never forget.

Join Us for ACOI 2025 in Marco Island!

Ready to be inspired by our fantastic keynote speakers, cutting-edge education sessions, and abundant opportunities to connect? Now is a great time to make your plans to join ACOI in Marco Island for the Annual Convention. The agenda is now live – explore what’s in store and register today!